The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Lowest ever inflows leaves farmers dazed

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Thursday, Jul 31, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Lowest ever inflows leaves farmers dazed

P. Ram Mohan

- Photo: K.V. RAMANA

Dead storage level: The lowest ever inflows into the SRSP reservoir in four years have dashed the hopes of ryots.

Sriramsagar Project (Nizamabad Dt.): With the monsoon being elusive, farmers who planted paddy nurseries in thousands of acres in the project ayacut are at a loss. The lowest ever inflows into the reservoir in four years have dashed the hopes of the farming community.

The reservoir received 4,099 cusecs of water in 24 hours from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning, which is the highest inflow into the project during the current monsoon season so far. The water arrived due to rain in its catchment in the district and there was absolutely zero rainfall in the upper reaches of the project in Maharashtra. Today, the water level was at 1,052.70 ft. as against its Full Reservoir Level of 1,091 ft. with 7.67 tmcft of water in the project. When water reaches its FRL it will have a total capacity of 90.312 tmcft. This day last year, the reservoir had 14.65 tmcft with water level being at 1061.00 ft, according to the project Executive Engineer G. Susheel Kumar. As per practice, water is released from the project every year by July 15, provided it has considerable amounts of storage. Since there is no hope of getting water in large amounts immediately, the dam engineering authorities say the existing water cannot be given for cultivation. Only 5 tmcft remains at the dead storage level and it has just 2 tmcft more than that level at present.

Yet, there has been an increasing demand for water from farmers. They need 65 tmcft during kharif and 70 tmcft during rabi, says A.K. Chaturvedi, Deputy EE.

“We cannot expect heavy inflows into the SRSP unless Jayakwadi Project, a major reservoir, and Vishnupuri Project across the Godavari in Maharashtra are filled. But, they too are in the same position like the SRSP,” says Mr. Susheel Kumar.

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